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Overview
Windows Magnifier is a free, built-in accessibility tool included with Windows 11. It enlarges part or all of the screen to make text, images, and other content easier to see. No installation or licensing is required. Magnifier is useful for users with low vision, those working on high-resolution displays, or anyone who needs to temporarily zoom in on screen content. This article covers how to turn Magnifier on and off, switch between view modes, adjust zoom, and use keyboard shortcuts. A support tips section is included for technicians assisting users who have accidentally activated Magnifier.
Turning Magnifier On and Off
- To turn Magnifier ON: Press Windows key + Plus sign (+)
- To turn Magnifier OFF: Press Windows key + Esc
If Magnifier is active and a user does not know how to turn it off, pressing Windows key + Esc will always close it immediately, regardless of which view mode is active.
Alternatively, Magnifier can be turned on or off through Settings:
- Go to Start > Settings > Accessibility > Magnifier
- Toggle the Magnifier switch on or off
If You Accidentally Turned On Magnifier
If your screen suddenly appears zoomed in or distorted, Magnifier may have been turned on accidentally. This commonly happens when a user presses Windows key + Plus sign (+) unintentionally.
To immediately turn it off:
This works in any view mode and will fully close Magnifier and restore your screen to normal.
View Modes
Magnifier has three display modes. You can switch between them at any time while Magnifier is running.
- Full Screen – Magnifies the entire screen. The whole display is zoomed in and you navigate by moving the mouse.
- Docked – A magnified panel is anchored to the top of the screen. The rest of the screen remains at normal size.
- Lens – A movable magnifying lens follows your mouse pointer around the screen.
To switch between modes using keyboard shortcuts:
- Full Screen view: Ctrl + Alt + F
- Docked view: Ctrl + Alt + D
- Lens view: Ctrl + Alt + L
- Cycle through all views: Ctrl + Alt + M
You can also change the view from within the Magnifier toolbar that appears when Magnifier is running.
Adjusting Zoom Level
While Magnifier is running:
- Zoom in: Windows key + Plus sign (+)
- Zoom out: Windows key + Minus sign (-)
- Switch between the set zoom level and 1x (actual size): Ctrl + Alt + Minus sign (-)
To set a default zoom level through Settings:
- Go to Start > Settings > Accessibility > Magnifier
- Use the Zoom level buttons to choose your preferred starting magnification
- Use the Zoom increments dropdown to control how much the zoom changes each time you press the shortcut
Additional Keyboard Shortcuts
The following shortcuts are available while Magnifier is running:
- Invert screen colors: Ctrl + Alt + I (press again to toggle off)
- Temporarily show the full screen while zoomed in (Full Screen view only): Ctrl + Alt + Spacebar
- Open Magnifier settings: Windows key + Ctrl + M
Starting Magnifier Automatically
For users who need Magnifier every time they sign in, it can be configured to launch automatically:
- Go to Start > Settings > Accessibility > Magnifier
- Enable Start Magnifier after sign-in to launch Magnifier each time the user logs in
- Enable Start Magnifier before sign-in if Magnifier is needed at the Windows login screen
Additional Display Options
The following optional settings are available in Settings > Accessibility > Magnifier:
- Smooth edges of images and text – Reduces pixelation when zoomed in. Results vary depending on content
experiment to see if it improves readability for your use case.
- Invert colors – May reduce eye strain or improve text contrast for some users. Can also be toggled with Ctrl + Alt + I.
- Have my Magnifier follow – Controls what Magnifier tracks: Mouse pointer, Keyboard focus, Text cursor, and/or Narrator cursor. These can be enabled in any combination.
Using Magnifier with a Touchscreen
For users on touchscreen devices:
- Zoom in or out: Tap the plus (+) or minus (-) symbols on the corners of the screen while Magnifier is active
- Move around the screen: Drag along the borders of the screen in Full Screen view
- Instantly zoom out to see your location on the full screen: Tap with one finger on opposite borders of the screen simultaneously
- Close Magnifier: Tap the minus (-) symbol to zoom out fully, then tap the Close button on the Magnifier toolbar
Using Magnifier with Narrator
For users who use both Magnifier and Narrator (Windows screen reader):
- Magnifier can follow the Narrator cursor so the magnified area tracks what Narrator is reading
- To enable this: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Magnifier > View, and check Narrator cursor under Have my Magnifier follow
- This is especially useful for users who rely on both speech and visual magnification simultaneously
Support Tips for Technicians
The following are common situations technicians may encounter when assisting users with Magnifier.
User says the screen is zoomed in and they cannot figure out how to fix it:
- Instruct the user to press Windows key + Esc. This immediately closes Magnifier regardless of mode.
- If the screen is so zoomed in that the user cannot navigate, have them press Windows key + Esc first, then assist with any follow-up configuration.
Magnifier keeps turning on automatically at login:
- Go to Settings > Accessibility > Magnifier and verify that Start Magnifier after sign-in and Start Magnifier before sign-in are both turned off.
User wants Magnifier to open in a specific mode by default:
- Magnifier remembers the last-used view mode. Have the user switch to their preferred mode while Magnifier is active and it will open in that mode next time.
User reports the magnified area is not following their typing or mouse:
- Check Settings > Accessibility > Magnifier > View and verify the appropriate tracking options are enabled (Mouse pointer, Keyboard focus, Text cursor).
User is on a touchscreen and cannot find the close button:
- Have the user tap the minus (-) symbol to zoom back out to 100%, which should reveal the Magnifier toolbar and close button.
- Alternatively, instruct the user to press Windows key + Esc if a keyboard is available.